Andy, painting question

[1105]

When I go to paint my car again, I want to get the paint as smooth as I can before I spray on the clear. The shop I painted my car at first just sprayed and masked off stuff until it was done, but I want to do it different this time. Right now I'm aiming for the white stripes with black outline for my paint scheme, so I'll have 3 diff colors to spray on. Will I be able to wetsand it with 2000 grit paper once all the paint has dried to get it smooth before the clear coat? Or is this something I'll want a lot of clear on so I can sand down the high spots in the clear and not the paint?

 

[RIO5.0]

Well for starters I'd be real careful on wetsanding the base....2500 grit may even be better as youll take the color off super easy....any scratches you put in the base will show in the clear to... You really have to sand it if you have paint lines...otherwise leave it ???
Is the plan to o/all Red...mask for White, then mask for Black??? I'd find the best tape (Fine Line) to reduce the masking lines, thats for sure...

A light sand on the base will help for sure, but laying the clear to it and really blocking that out to get it flat is what makes the paint look sweet....you get no orange peel or texture look...just flat......If you a nice booth, guns to work with it makes alot of difference...

Im no pro, but hope that helps...??? Hit some shops up for tips on your plan...

 

[1105]

I was thinking about painting the black first, just in the areas where it'll be, run the 1/4" or so tape for the black boarders, spray the white on, then cover up the stripes and spray the red. This is something I wanted to do at my house. Like I would paint the hood one day, then the bumpers, then the front fenders, c pillar and a pillar (guess thats what they are on the outside)

I just wasnt real sure if you could sand down the base to make it smooth or not, and the paint on my car now only has 2 coats of clear so I cant sand hardly any of it down, and I can feel a bump in my paint

 

[RIO5.0]

Well...if'n it was me. I'd paint the entire car the Red....mask off and shoot the White stripes....remask and then the Black trim....remember that base has a certain time frame that you have to nail it with clear...PPG is 24 hrs...
I would have all those parts on and shoot it all at once so things line up nice...
Sounds like you got your work cut out for ya... Thats alot of painting/clearing...Least your in a warm area and can do it over time...

I shot mine with only 2 coats of clear..thats plenty if you lay down good coats??? PPG only needs 2 coats...you'd be surprised how much is on there for thickness...

 

[GTPhreak]

always paint light to dark or the colors can bleed through...I would just rough in some white all the way down...measure the lines then spray your red over the entire car...then mask for your black lines and spray.

 

[RIO5.0]

always paint light to dark or the colors can bleed through...I would just rough in some white all the way down...measure the lines then spray your red over the entire car...then mask for your black lines and spray.

I do believe he's correct.. ..the White should be first....least thats the way you see it on Overhaulin/Rides and such....

 

[OinkAodeOink]

I dont see why you would want to wetsand the base.. Ive never done this on the stuff ive painted. If you have a smooth surface to paint the base on, you shouldnt have to touch the base color.
You defintaly want to sand your car super smooth, before the base goes on, if thats what you mean... But 2000 grit sure isnt going to cut much, if you have bug spots, runs, ect, from your old paint.
Go light to dark, like the others mentioned, then shoot the whole thing in clear.. 1 tack coat and 2 final coats should do it.. Remember, the first tack coat determins how well the others will stick, so be sure to let the first coat tack up well, before proceeding on.
Since its so cold out now, i would heat up the paint/clear alittle to help it go on smoother. ( less chance of runs, and a smoother application)
Dont boil it, just heat it up enough to get a warm temp going.. I usually just let it sit for a bit, in a pot of warm water on the stove ( just be carefull)

 

[1105]

I only asked if I should sand the base to get the masking lines down smooth before I spray on the clear... You can feel the lines in my car right now, and there isnt much clear so I couldnt sand that down to make it smooth. I'm thinking about just keeping it simple and going with all red now. My car sits out side, sap get on it sometimes, fkin cats walk all over it at night so I cant see spending countless hours in masking and painting just for it to probably get messed up.

 

[urban96]

i hate it when the nieghbors cat walks on my car i swear it comes over to rub it in when im washing all the muddy paw prints off my car, but i usually spray it with the hose every time i see it in our yard

 

[Venom351R]

i hate it when the nieghbors cat walks on my car i swear it comes over to rub it in when im washing all the muddy paw prints off my car, but i usually spray it with the hose every time i see it in our yard

well my dog just developed a bad habbit of peeing on rims/tires of cars that are parked in the drive way......started off just on my beater truck.....now my 2000 Ranger, just hope he snaps out of it before the car comes out of the garage for the winter.

As far as painting your car I hope it goes well, its a tough project to tackle on your own and for those of you that do that type of stuff on your own earn a big b/c it takes some tallent and know how to keep from really screwing it up